Primer 2004

In the midst of their mundane corporate lives, four engineers - Aaron (Shane Carruth), Abe (David Sullivan), Robert, and Phillip - moonlight as entrepreneurs, manufacturing JTAG cards in Aaron’s garage. Their nocturnal endeavors fund a series of pet projects, all aimed at capturing the attention of venture capitalists. The group’s creative differences eventually give rise to two distinct pursuits: Aaron and Abe separately work on a device designed to reduce an object’s weight. While their invention appears to be a resounding success, it has an unforeseen consequence - a watch left in the device whipsaws through time at an astonishing rate, leaving them to ponder the implications.

Abe, ever the curious one, takes the reins and builds a prototype large enough to accommodate a human. After successfully testing the machine, he secretly shares his findings with Aaron, detailing their discovery of a temporal anomaly. The two engineers, now convinced that they’ve cracked the code on time travel, proceed to construct an additional device, dubbed “the box.” However, they choose to exclude Robert and Phillip from this groundbreaking discovery, citing the need for garage fumigation as a convenient excuse.

As Abe and Aaron delve deeper into the mysteries of their time machines, their exploits become increasingly audacious. Their actions are soon disrupted by the unexpected arrival of Thomas Granger (Chip Carruth), Rachel’s father and the group’s would-be benefactor. Granger’s journey through the timestream seems to have left him comatose, leaving Abe and Aaron bewildered and concerned. The gravity of their situation becomes apparent as they realize that their actions have created a ripple effect, threatening to unravel the very fabric of time.

Abe, haunted by the consequences of their meddling, resolves to put an end to their adventures in the timestream. He sets his sights on a “failsafe” machine, built in secret prior to his first foray into time travel, which he uses to journey back to a point before his initial excursion and the subsequent revelation of their discovery to Aaron. Abe’s desperate attempt to nullify the effects of their time traveling is a poignant reminder that some secrets are better left unexplored.

As Abe (re)emerges from his collapse, he’s met with an astonishing revelation: Aaron has been manipulating the very fabric of reality. It becomes clear that Aaron had stumbled upon the failsafe box and utilized its power to gain control over their timeline. With cunning precision, Aaron created a false narrative, convincing Abe that there was still a functional failsafe machine waiting for him. This ruse prevented Abe from undoing Aaron’s actions, effectively entrapping them in a cycle of deception.

As Abe recovers from his ordeal, he’s confronted with the shocking truth: Aaron has been using a recording device to recreate their previous conversations. The revelation is only the beginning, as Aaron explains that he encountered an earlier version of himself who had used the failsafe technology to create recordings after drugging the original Aaron. This earlier Aaron was convinced by his future self to continue acting as Aaron, leaving the later Aaron free to orchestrate a plan to redo a pivotal event: the party where Rachel Granger (character) narrowly escaped being shot.

Abe agrees to partner with Aaron in their mission to alter the course of events. Together, they succeed in changing the outcome, but at what cost? Their friendship has been irreparably damaged by the machinations of the failsafe technology, which has taken a devastating toll on their relationship.

The consequences of their actions are far-reaching and dire. The continued use of the machines has caused irreversible brain damage, with Aaron suffering from a stroke that leaves him struggling to read his own handwriting. Abe, meanwhile, distances himself from Aaron’s technical expertise, instead opting for written communication.

As tensions between the two escalate, Aaron accuses Abe of coveting his family, while Abe warns his former friend against interfering with their doubles’ lives. With Aaron’s plans foiled, he vows never to return or meddle in the affairs of those connected to him. Abe, determined to prevent a similar catastrophe from occurring in the original timeline, elects to tamper with the machines, hoping that their doubles will deem the experiment a failure and abandon further attempts at time travel.

In a striking epilogue, an earlier Aaron – the one who had used the failsafe technology to create recordings – speaks on the phone with an unknown recipient, hinting at a debt he owes to an unspecified party. The true extent of this obligation remains shrouded in mystery, leaving the audience wondering about the far-reaching implications of their actions.

As the cinematic curtain draws to a close, the narrative culminates with one of the enigmatic Aarons (name withheld) standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a group of French-speaking laborers, their collective focus fixed on the commencement of a monumental endeavor. The scene unfolds like a grandiose symphony, as the very fabric of reality appears to bend and warp in anticipation of the construction of a gargantuan, rectangular edifice that seems to defy the laws of physics and rationality - a building-sized box, its sheer scale leaving onlookers agog with wonder. The juxtaposition of this imposing structure against the backdrop of a seemingly mundane, everyday setting serves as a poignant reminder that even the most ordinary-seeming realities can harbor extraordinary secrets waiting to be unearthed. As the first sparks of construction ignite, the air is thick with anticipation, hinting at the limitless possibilities that lie hidden within the confines of this mysterious, box-like behemoth.